Victory Over Liquefied Natural Gas Projects

How we fought for the communities and river we love – and won a big victory for the climate along the way.

For over a decade, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and pipelines threatened the Columbia River estuary. LNG is super-cooled natural gas that requires massive amounts of energy and freshwater. The gas giants were supposed to win. They carefully selected rural locations and small towns, greased the skids, and hired all the right law firms and lobbyists. Nobody warned them about the people’s fierce love of the river and how hard they would fight to protect it.

Twelve years of smart, creative, and persistent efforts by local residents and partners defeated LNG and protected the mighty Columbia.

Here’s how, together, we defeated multi-billion dollar proposals to export fracked gas through some of the most important salmon habitat on Earth.

Stories from the Frontline: A retired librarian fought to protect the Columbia so her grandkids could play along the river’s banks. A farmer and climate activist led rallies at the state capitol. Our victory over LNG sparked life-long friendships and untraditional alliance. Hear first-hand accounts from the people who persevered and defeated LNG.

LNG Resources: Historic documents and analysis from our campaign to protect the Columbia from LNG.

A new report from the Stockholm Environment Institute on a controversial fracked gas-to-methanol refinery proposed in Washington state confirms McKibben’s assertion: the Kalama methanol refinery will not help us achieve a low-carbon future or meet the goals in the Paris Climate Accords. According to the report, approving the Kalama methanol refinery “would not appear to be consistent with globally agreed climate goals of keeping warming at less than 2 degrees Celsius.”

Critical public comment period to convince Governor Inslee, and state and local officials, to stop the Kalama methanol refinery and the Kalama Lateral pipeline. The refinery would use more natural gas than all other industry in Washington combined. If we stop this project, we can protect our climate and river communities from decades of fracked gas pollution.